About the Author

Catherine is the founder of Global Friends Foundation and the Executive Director for the Canadian Digestive Health Foundation. She dedicates her energy and compassion to building not for profit businesses that empower people to make the world a better place.

Global Friends Foundation supports orphaned and vulnerable children through compassion, understanding and empowerment. It’s mission is to advance youth as members, and future leaders, of our global community. We do this through compassion, awareness, and action. Global Friends Foundation is a Canadian charitable organization headquartered in Oakville, Ontario, Canada.

We have held these children in our arms. They are not faceless statistics. For those living in poverty in Africa, we ask people to remember that these are warm, loving individuals who have been thrust into a world that, until recently, had abandoned them. They are beautiful and resilient and full of potential. They are rediscovering who they are and who they can become.

It began with one question from a young Ugandan boy in a blue shirt…..“Will you save my life?”

The reality of a child speaking in a different language to ask a relative stranger from Canada such a profound question has been life-altering — for many. We hope that at no time will our children ever be in such a position. But, if they are, we hope that someone will embrace them and answer their request for help with quick, compassionate and practical solutions.

The beautiful children of Rafiki meet us with enthusiasm and songs of welcome. — at Mererani, Tanzania, East Africa; Photo Credit: Global Friends Foundation

The RAFIKI Orphan Care Home was our first project. We built a home and education centre for 38 children in 2010. We funded a well and a sewing program to create income-generation for self-sustainability. We built a library and playground, feed the children, fund higher education,

ST. LUCIA was the second initiative. In 2011, we provided funds, vitamins, medical supplies for 13 HIV positive orphans and facilitated the acquisition of bicycles for a rural mobile medical healthcare team.

ST. JOSEPH SCHOOL is the latest addition to our programs. A school that will provide a safe, nurturing environment for 700+ Ugandan children will be renovated in the spring of 2012.

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